


the road

by thasmins



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (1963)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Mentions of Blood, No Character Death, Suicide Attempt, mentions of bruises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 17:48:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13956828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thasmins/pseuds/thasmins
Summary: If she’s here now, she’s here for a sole reason. It’s not going to end nicely.





	the road

**Author's Note:**

> I'd say this is after Snakedance, but not right after. This fic also has sensitive topics if you haven't read the tags.
> 
> I asked what I should write and got two responses. This is the second response.

She walks into the open road, no sense of worry for her safety. No vehicles zoom by.

This is a dead road. Not because of the lack of activity. Lots of tragic things happen upon this road. Crashes, hit-and-runs, murders, and such. Lives lost. Parents, friends, children. Mournful cries in its soil. More calamity. 

If she’s here now, she’s here for a sole reason. It’s not going to end nicely.

She needs to go. She’s too tired. She can’t recover. 15 years of a war she’s losing will finally end.

_ Tegan…  _

Headlights shine directly at her line of vision before a monstrous impact leaves her flying, numb to whatever pain it caused.

* * *

“DOCTOR, FOR FUCK’S SAKE! SAVE HER!”

Nyssa’s painful screeches echo throughout the TARDIS. Her poor word choice alarms the Doctor as he’s carrying a dying Tegan in his arms. The Zero Room is their only hope of saving her now, and they’re having as much trouble having to find it as when he first regenerated.

“You know as well as I that the Zero Room’s difficult to find!” he argues, irritated. “C’mon, old girl, I need the Zero Room right now!”

Nyssa doesn’t respond. Despite under distress and what she had just said to him, she won’t talk back to the Doctor now. 

Unlike Tegan.

_ Tegan… _ the Australian’s name repeats in her head like a mantra, a prayer for her to wake up and be healed.

“Oh, Tegan,” she mutters to herself, choking back a sob, “please, please don’t die.”

* * *

_ Tegan lays in bed, a blanket covering her lower body. Nyssa enjoys having the air stewardess watching her undress for the shower, though she can keep that feeling to herself. Her life has changed drastically ever since Tegan stepped on board the TARDIS as a full fledged companion when she immediately kindled a new friendship with the young Trakenite. _

_ She doesn’t want this moment to end so quickly, so she takes her time. _

_ “Are you teasing me, Nyssa?” questions Tegan, her sultry voice sending shivers down the Trakenite’s spine. _

_ “No,” she replies, letting her bathrobe drop to reveal sensitive undergarments. “I’m merely taking my time here.” _

_ She gasps when she feels the warm presence of Tegan’s body pressing against her back. Her hot breath is tickling her ears, and her hands snake down to her waist. _

_ “And what have you stuck your nose on while I was gone?” she whispers in her ear. “I did leave my things here, you should know.” _

_ “I was curious.” _

_ Tegan chuckles. “Let me help you with that, then.” _

* * *

“Tegan’s safe in the Zero Room,” informs the Doctor with a relieving sigh, snapping the Trakenite out of her reminiscing daze. “She’ll survive.”

Tegan’s going to survive.

Nyssa falls to her knees and bursts out in tears.

“Tegan, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry…“ the apologies become incoherent mumbling as the hot teardrops seep through her palmed face.

The Doctor stands beside her, wanting to say something to the Trakenite but couldn’t form the proper words of comfort. He decides it’s best to leave her to unravel and pats her on the shoulder before walking away.

Nyssa finds strength to push herself up but depends on the wall to help her walk. When she pushes the Zero Room’s door open, her heart breaks. Gashes, bruises, and cuts morbidly decorate Tegan’s body and dried blood is all over it. The fact that this wasn’t caused by an alien adversary or a devastating mishap on another planet terrifies Nyssa, knowing that even Tegan on Earth would have her in danger.

She never had to worry for such danger back on Traken. She wondered how Tegan could live her life knowing she could end up having her last breath at any moment in time on Earth.

“You almost did,” she mumbles to herself, almost jumping when she said the thought out loud.

“Tegan, I- ” she clears her throat, “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry for ignoring you, the  _ real _ you, the side of you that you can’t bear to show anyone. I can sense you trying to claw your way out of the defence mechanisms you’ve built up yourself over the years of your life. You are damaged. I knew something was wrong, but I chose to brush it off. I let myself be selfish, be distracted by your romantic gestures and your affection towards me. I left you behind on Heathrow, and that further pushed you farther from any kind of hope. You came back after just almost dying. Then, the Mara tormented you again. I let you wither when I should’ve fought my way to help you. I’m so sorry.”

At least she could comfort herself knowing that Tegan is going to survive. The collision with the car may have not been how Tegan intended to go out, though it’s also safe to say that she had noticed that the woman had abruptly left the TARDIS when she and the Doctor were having a petty argument.

The underlying issue is whether or not Tegan would do it again. Nyssa surely won’t wait to figure that out.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I don't really put much context about Tegan's history because I haven't watched all of Tegan's run yet. I also have to deal with the EU stuff she's in, so there's that. 
> 
> This is my first Tegan/Nyssa fic and I'm incredibly proud of it. I'll appreciate every comment and kudos that comes!


End file.
